


Remember Your Pain

by LokasennaHiddleston



Series: A Young Witch's Redemption [3]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, Civil War Team Iron Man, Emotional Hurt, F/M, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Mental Health Issues, POV Female Character, POV Wanda Maximoff, Responsibility
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-13
Updated: 2018-03-13
Packaged: 2019-03-31 00:50:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13963752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LokasennaHiddleston/pseuds/LokasennaHiddleston
Summary: Following the confrontation in Leipzig, Wanda and the rest of the Avengers pursue Zemo to Siberia. What will happen when Zemo unveils the truth of his plan?Third installment of my "Wanda on Team Iron Man and not a bitch" series.





	Remember Your Pain

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for everyone who commented to previous installments of the series. You guys rock! I hope this one doesn't disappoint :)

The trip to Siberia lasted too long for Wanda's comfort. Her skin felt itchy, like her power was bubbling under her skin, just begging to get out. She could feel the tension of everyone in the jet, and it didn't help her composure in the slightest.

At one point, Stark received a notification, a video his AI found. He blinked in startled surprise. "Well, this is interesting."

"What's up, Tones?" Rhodes asked.

"Apparently, the body of the true doctor who was supposed to see Barnes was finally found. I'm not sure what to make of that."

"What do you mean?" Wanda inquired with a frown. "This can only help Barnes's cause in the long run, right?"

"It's suspicious," King T'Challa said from the front of the jet. "If Zemo wanted to cover his tracks, why would he leave the body there?"

Wanda's eyes widened. "You think he's trying to lure us here."

"Given the information we have at this time, it seems a distinct possibility," Vision replied in Stark's stead.

The knowledge that they could be headed into a trap didn't stop them, but it did make it even harder for Wanda to concentrate. She took refuge in Vision's steady presence at her side. No matter what happened, she knew she could rely on him to always support her.

Siberia was as cold and dreary as Wanda had imagined, and the Hydra bunker even more desolate than the base in Sokovia where Wanda had lived. She shivered as the memories of the experiments flashed through her mind's eye. Vision shot her a concerned look and she gave him a weak smile in return. "Should have brought thicker clothes."

It was probably not a very convincing lie, but they all let it go. They had other priorities right now than her sensibilities.

If Zemo had passed through here, the weather had already wiped all traces of his presence. Wanda hoped they weren't too late.

There was only one entrance into the bunker that they could see, with one elevator leading down. Because of the bulk and weight of the armors, they were forced to make two trips before everyone reached the second level.

"So what's the plan?" Rhodes asked once they were together again. "Do we split up or what?"

"You know better than that, honeybear," Stark said. "Did Scooby Doo teach you nothing? The villain always strikes when you split up."

Despite the humurous tone in his words, he was already doing something with his armor. "Hmm," he said. "FRIDAY only detects one life sign up ahead. I suppose that's where we're headed then."

Stark took the lead, with King T'Challa next to him. Vision and Wanda came next, and Rhodes was last, presumably to watch their backs, just in case something happened.

They shouldn't have worried. The moment they stepped into the massive room that was their destination, several tanks lit up, revealing a rather ghastly sight.

There were still people inside, the Winter Soldiers presumably. However, the individuals in question were clearly not a threat, because of the neat bullet holes in their foreheads.

"If it's any comfort, they died in their sleep," a male voice suddenly said.

"What in the world is going on here?" Stark mumbled under his breath.

"I'm grateful to them, though," the man continued. "They brought you here. Although I admit I did not expect such a large group to visit me. I definitely did not expect you, Ms. Maximoff."

"I'm an Avenger now," Wanda said with more bravado than she felt.

"Are you? What a shame."

A separate chamber lit up, revealing Zemo's hidden figure. Stark and Rhodes instantly armed their repulsors. By Wanda's side, Vision vibrated with the desire to act.

Zemo smirked. "The Soviets built this to withstand the strength of one hundred rockets. I've since made a few improvements to compensate for your little friend there."

"I very much doubt anything you can come up with can beat Vision," Stark drawled. "In fact, I'm pretty sure I could beat that too."

"Oh, I'm sure you could, Mr. Stark, but then, you'd never know why you came."

Wanda hated this conversation. She hated the feeling of smug satisfaction she could feel coming from Zemo. He was completely surrounded, but he wasn't nervous in the slightest.

"We should just take him in," Rhodes said, obviously having the same thought.

"Oh, but you won't. You're far too curious. Aren't you?"

"It's not so difficult," Wanda said. "You're Sokovian. Isn't that what this is about?"

"You would know, wouldn't you? No. Sokovia was a failed state long before the Avengers blew it all to hell. No, I'm here because I made a promise."

"You lost someone," Stark said. It wasn't a question. They already knew it was the truth from the data they had found before. Still, there's a muted sort of guilt nudging at the back of Stark's consciousness.

"I lost everyone," Zemo replied. "I look forward to seeing the Avengers in the same situation. I admit, it would have been better if the Captain had been here too, but at the end of the day, my gift is not for him."

To their right, a screen flared to right, displaying letters in Russian. A video started. Stark stared at the screen like he'd seen a ghost. "I know that road." He looked up at Zemo, and there was something harsh and desperate in his voice when he spoke. "What is this?"

Wanda knew she should act, that she should stop this, but she found herself unable to move. On the screen, a car crashed into a tree and a man on a motorcycle parked next to it.

The sight seemed like a cue for Vision. He shot into action and made for the strange capsule Zemo had taken refuge in. There was a strange electric field surrounding it, but he was determined.

Instead of trying to go through it, he sank into the floor and bypassed the field entirely.

Wanda would have felt happier about that, but she was too busy staring in horror at the video to feel any sort of satisfaction. On the screen, a man she recognized as Howard Stark crawled out of the wrecked car. Bucky Barnes unmounted his motorcycle and gripped his hair, forcing him to his knees.

"Sergeant Barnes..." Howard Stark said.

From the car, a female voice cried, "Howard." Stark's mother, Maria, no doubt.

The wave of grief that flowed through Stark at the sound was so potent Wanda's knees almost gave out. She had no idea how she managed to remain upright.

On the screen, Barnes started to punch Howard Stark with his metal arm. Every blow was like a blow to Stark's own soul. Wanda felt it echoing inside her, over and over, an assault on her own mind.

Maria Stark cried out in pain and desperation again. Howard Stark crumbled to the ground, dead.

Wanda could almost taste his blood in her mouth. By her side, T'Challa was motionless.

"Tones," Rhodes said, trying to reach for his friend. Stark shook Rhodes's hold off and continued to stare at the screen.

Barnes placed Howard's limp form in the car, in the driver's seat. Maria Stark looked at her husband's body in a mix of dread and resignation.

And then, Barnes walked around the car, wrapped his arm around Maria's throat and squeezed.

Something inside Stark shattered and broke with his mother's neck. As for Wanda... Suddenly, it was no longer the Starks she saw on the screen.

She saw her parents own dead bodies as they lay in the aftermath of the Sokovia bombings. She saw Pietro's corpse, littered with bullet holes.

Her heart cracked all over again and her power burst out of her, uncontrollable.

And then, there was nothing but the grief, the loss, the emptiness.

****

The waves of red magic struck all those present like a tsunami.

FRIDAY narrowly managed to anticipate the blast and the armor enveloped her creator once again in a protective cocoon. But she could not protect his mind and the echoes of his mother's last words were the last things he heard before the world went black.

Next to him, James Rhodes crumbled to his knees, screaming. Images of his lost sister flashed through his mind, as she had been before cocaine had taken her and before she'd finally lost her life. Then his father spiraling into depression. Lost too. So many people, lost on the front. Tony and Afghanistan and New York, so many times. Grief, grief, grief.

To Tony's left, T'Challa staggered and fell. The only thing he could remember was his father's last smile and the cloying scent of his blood as he held the man's dead body in his arms. When he was struck by the red magic, he didn't feel the echo of the vibranium protecting him. The emotional pain was too much.

In the capsule that should have withstood the power of a hundred missiles, Zemo screamed as memories of his lost family assaulted his mind. They were far stronger than all the voice mails he'd played in the past. He saw it all, their broken bodies, his lost home, everything he'd ever loved, turning to dust.

In the center of Vision's forehead, the Mind Gem glowed red. Suddenly, he could remember the first memories of the being named JARVIS, of the warm banter between JARVIS and his creator, of the little family Tony Stark had built around himself. And just like he remembered JARVIS's life, he remembered his death. The shock was so alien and powerful it sent him to his knees.

He did not stay down. Wanda was still screaming, her power glowing brighter and fiercer. Leaving Zemo where he was, he phased through the capsule once again, clumsier than he ever remembered being. He struggled through the waves of red magic and finally made his way to Wanda's side.

He grabbed her shoulder and shook her, hoping he could somehow snap her out of her trance. He didn't know how to handle this. A part of him didn't understand what was happening.

A distant memory of JARVIS's provided a suggestion. Miss Potts and Mr. Stark.

He was an android. He did not feel physical attraction, not in that sense. He still pressed his lips to hers.

It didn't have a miraculous, magic effect, at least not instantly, but it did provide Wanda with an anchor. When he pulled away, the red around Wanda began to dissipate. "Vis..."

Her eyes rolled in her head and she slumped against his chest. Vision was left alone, in the trashed bunker, with everyone else unconscious.

In that moment, Vision felt more human than ever, but it was a gift that came with a price. He pushed back the lingering echoes of his grief and forced himself to get up. They could not stay here. Mr. Stark— _Sir, Sir_ —needed him and Wanda wasn't well. It was up to Vision to help them, and he would not fail.

****

When Tony woke up, the first thing he was aware of was the sound of beeping. It took only an instant for him to recognize it for what it was, and for the exasperation and frustration to settle in. Damn it. How did he always end up in hospitals like this? What had happened now?

As the thought processed, the memory hit him like a physical blow to the solar plexus. The video. His father being murdered by a man he had deemed a friend. His mother crying out his father's name, the last word she ever said before the Winter Soldier ended her life. Oh, God, oh, God, oh, God...

He only realized he'd started to hyperventilate when a beautiful voice snapped him out of his trance, reaching out into the depths of his very being. "Tony, can you hear me? Tony?"

Tony cracked his eyes open, taking desperate refuge in the familiarity of the figure next to him. "Pep? Is that you?"

Pepper smiled tremulously, her eyes warm and filled with unshed tears. She sat on the edge of his bed and squeezed his hand. "Welcome back. You had us worried there for a while."

Worried? Worried why? What had happened to land him in the hospital? He couldn't remember.

Oh, God. Zemo. Had Zemo done something at the bunker? Rhodey. Vision. Wanda. T'Challa. Were they all right?

He must have said at least part of that out loud, because Pepper proceeded to explain, "Everyone is fine, for the most part."

"For the most part?" Tony repeated, not liking the sound of that.

Pepper squeezed his hand. "Wanda lost control of her powers. Physically, nobody was hurt, but in other ways... It was a heavy emotional blow for everybody."

The whole story was a little more complicated than that. Apparently, according to Vision, the shock of Tony's grief had badly triggered Wanda, which in turn had led her powers to go out of control, causing a chain reaction that had knocked them all unconscious. Vision had managed to withstand it. He'd been the one to bring them all back. He had managed to contact Everett Ross, who had provided them all with medical attention.

Rhodey and T'Challa had already woken up. Their respective armors had kept the concussive force from Wanda's powers from hurting them too badly, so they only had a few scrapes and bruises. Similarly, Zemo had been protected by that strange cage he'd been in. It was only the mental attack that had hit them.

Rhodey was taking it like a champ and was already waiting to see Tony. T'Challa had left Zemo in Everett Ross's hands and had returned to Wakanda, presumably to preside over the funeral rites of his father. Zemo was secured in his cell and had not shown much reaction to the situation other than mad laughter.

This was actually fortunate, since they had all agreed to not reveal the fact that Wanda had been the one to knock them all unconscious. If the truth came out, it could have serious repercussions, both on Tony, who had vouched for her, and for other superhumans.

Wanda herself had not said a word. She was conscious and seemed aware of what was going on around her, but she'd taken the whole thing very badly.

"Vision is keeping an eye on her," Pepper explained. "He thinks it will take a while for her to recover."

Tony nodded. He supposed it made sense. They never had dealt with the underlining issues that had led her to join Hydra to begin with. She'd gone from being a Hydra agent on a war path, to losing her brother and then turning into a superhero. Steve had insisted she was ready for the field, but that had obviously not been the case, and they were paying the price for it now.

Steve. Renewed anger flashed through Tony as he finally processed the full extent of Zemo's plan. "The Winter Soldier killed my parents, Pep," he whispered. "I think Steve knew."

It was the only thing that made sense. Steve's behavior with regard to his friend had always been suspicious to say the least. He'd even seemed reluctant to accept Tony's offer of providing help for Barnes. He'd chosen to gather his own team to pursue the lead of the other Winter Soldiers, instead of doing the logical thing and turning to the rest of the Avengers.

He had not trusted Tony. At the time, Tony had thought it was because of the Ultron incident, or their difference in opinions regarding the Accords, but in his heart, he knew now that it had been more than that.

Pepper did not look surprised. Vision must have told her about it too, and they must have drawn the same conclusion.

She said nothing. Instead, she just wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close.

Tony took refuge in the sweet, familiar scent of her perfume. When the tears came, he let them fall. He didn't know what they were for—the parents he had lost, or the friendship he had believed in, but had never really existed.

****

In another room across the building, Wanda Maximoff held Vision's hand, silent tears flowing across her cheeks. She didn't know why she could feel him still. Maybe this was her punishment, for hating him for so long, for not realizing that her parents' death had never been his fault.

She wished then that she had died with Pietro. She wished she could go back in time and never embrace the madness of what Hydra offered. And when Vision offered her the comfort of his familiar, if cold embrace, she wished more than anything in the world that she deserved it.

**Author's Note:**

> I'll probably write a fourth installment at one point, to deal with the aftermath, a real confrontation between Tony and Steve and some other things that I left pending because I felt this was a good point to end this one. Oh, and Rhodey's history is inspired from the comics, where he genuinely did have a sister he lost to cocaine. I did take some liberties, but well, that's what happens with fanfic. Do let me know what you think!


End file.
